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Species Native to Missouri
Common Name: swamp white oak
Type: Tree
Family: Fagaceae
Zone: 3 to 8
Native Range: Northeastern North America
Garden Location: Martha Love Symington Missouri Native Shade Garden
Height: 50 to 60 feet
Spread: 50 to 60 feet
Bloom Time: April
Bloom Color: Green, Yellow
Bloom Description: Yellowish-green
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Low
Flowers: Flowers not Showy
Leaves: Good Fall Color
Wildlife: Attracts Birds
Tolerates: Wet Soil
Uses: Rain Garden, Shade Tree, Street Tree
Culture
Easily grown in average, medium to wet, acidic soil in full sun.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Swamp white oak is a medium sized, deciduous tree with a broad, rounded crown and a short trunk which typically grows at a moderate rate to a height of 50-60' (sometimes larger). Leaves are dark, shiny green above and silvery white beneath, with 5-10 rounded lobes or blunt teeth along the margins. Fall color is yellow, but sometimes reddish purple. Insignificant flowers in separate male and female catkins in spring. Fruits are acorns which mature in early fall. Indigenous to north, central and eastern Missouri in moist to swampy locations in bottomlands and lowlands, such as along streams and lakes, valleys, floodplains and at the edge of swamps. Also has surprisingly good drought resistance.
Plant of Merit
This medium-sized Missouri native oak grows to 50-70 feet tall with a broad rounded crown, and is particularly noted for its large-toothed/lobed, bicolor leaves that are shiny dark green above and white to silver green beneath. Leaves turn yellow to reddish purple in fall. Mature trees have distinctive, scaly-ridged, gray-brown bark. This long-lived, easy-to-grow shade tree thrives in acidic soils ranging from moist/swampy to well-drained.
Problems
Generally a durable and long-lived tree, but is susceptible to a large number of potential diseases and insect pests, including anthracnose, canker, leaf spot, rust, blight, galls, caterpillars, borers, leaf miners, oak lace bug and oak mite. Chlorosis (yellowing of the leaves while the veins remain green) often occurs when soils are not properly acidic. Can be difficult to transplant and establish.
Garden Uses
Specimen, street tree, lawn tree. A good tree for wet ground and low spots.